A councillor believes the appointment of fellow town council member Barry Edwards as representative to the Oswestry Hillfort is setting a 'dangerous precedent'.

Councillor Edwards will join the group to act as a liaison between themselves and the council after councillors voted in favour.

However, Cllr Chris Schofield was adamant a councillor should be appointed to what he called a 'protest group' and added that it could bring potential accusations of bias in future discussions.

"I move that we do not appoint a representative to what is effectively a protest group," he said at last Monday's meeting. "The Hillfort is not in Oswestry; it’s in Gobowen and Selattyn and I would vote against it. This council should be neutral."

However, councillors Sandy Best, Duncan Kerr and Edwards were all in favour of appointing a representative, with the latter proposing that he should join it. Cllr Kerr argued that there's a council presence on the Access Group, which he believes is a protest group.

Cllr Best pointed to the role played by Gobowen and Selattyn parish councillor Erica Morgan.

However, Cllr Schofield added: "It’s not just the Hillfort – everyone wants that protected. If you put a councillor there, it would be bias against anyone who wants to come to it. It sets a precedent and it loses its impartiality. The access group is not a protest group."

Town mayor Cllr Vince Hunt said he felt there shouldn't be a representative in the council's name but that Cllr Edwards was welcome to join them independently; however, the vote was passed seven votes to six in favour.

Meanwhile, town clerk David Preston told the meeting that the Oswestry Business Improvement District (BID) had passed all criteria needed to approve a loan from the council and councillors voted to release the first instalment of £15,000.

Councillors also voted to take up their option of five votes for the BID and wish it luck, hoping that businesses would get behind it.

Members also voted to approve a funding request, of around £1,700, from TNS FC Community Foundation Trust for the provision of school holiday activities at Park Hall.

Cllr Schofield said he felt it was vital young people people has access to activities, and was supported by Cllr Hunt, while Cllr Mark Jones described the community work as 'brilliant'.

Three councillors abstained from voting, including Cllr Kerr.